Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has visited the Goron-dutse Medium Correctional Centre and pardoned 136 inmates.
In a statement on Wednesday, the governor’s spokesman, Abba Anwar, said that the pardon was part of measures to decongest the correctional centres in the state.
Anwar added that the governor gave the inmates five thousand Naira to use as transport money for them to go back to their various destinations.
He, however, noted that Ganduje asked the inmates to be people of sound character when they are finally reintegrated into society.
Ganduje said some of the inmates were pardoned either owing to ill-health or because they have stayed longer than necessary.
He said some others were incarcerated because they were not able to pay the fines against them.
“In your position as Nigerians who deserve to be taken care of, we are here today, Sallah Day, to celebrate with you this great Sallah period, by way of releasing some of you who are pardoned.
“We are here to also see how you are feeling and to share our joyous moment with you. We want those of you who repented promising not to go back to their previous nefarious acts.”
“The pardoning exercise is in compliance with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to decongest correctional centres across the country,” the statement quoted Ganduje as saying.
In his remarks, Controller, Kano Correctional Centre, Sulaiman Sulaiman, commended the governor for being humane by relating with inmates.
Sulaiman thanked the governor for giving inmates cattle and rams to celebrate the Eid-el Kabir.
“I have worked for 30 years in many states. I have never seen a state governor who cares very much about the plight of inmates in our correctional centres as Gov Ganduje,” he said.
